It's a sweet life living by the salty sea.

This winter I’ve been working my way through whittling down our supply of fresh fish that was caught over the summer and fall. Here on Chincoteague – we catch such a variety of fish, due to the fact that we have oceanside and bayside fishing in such close proximity to each other. With just a few fun days fishing on the water, we’re able to stock our freezer with fresh, wild-caught fish to last us through those cold winter months.

Everyone loves a good old-fashioned fish fry, but my favorite way to prepare a nice hunk of white-fleshed fish is to simply season it and sear in the pan. Incidentally, it’s also one of the easiest ways to prepare fish…perhaps why I love it so much?

I top the fish with some homemade tartar sauce, lettuce, and tomato on a lightly toasted roll. I used drum fish on this particular day – but all types work well for this application. Striped bass, mahi-mahi, tilapia, and cod to name a few! I also highly recommend making your own seasoning blend if time allows, I find it’s so much better than any I’ve purchased in the past.

Season fish filets generously on both sides with the Cajun seasoning. Set aside.

Make the tartar sauce by combining the mayo, relishes, and lemon juice. Mix to combine, then season to taste with salt.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet heat 1 Tbsp butter and the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Heat until just smoking, then carefully place the fish in the skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutues on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. When the meat starts to pull away from each other, it’s usually done.

Place each filet on a bun, top with tartar sauce, and serve with lettuce and tomato.